Frieda Switlik

Frieda Erna Switlik, 88, of Bridgman passed away on July 27, 2015 at her home.

A funeral service will be held 11 AM Friday, July 31, 2015 at Pike Funeral Home, Boyd Chapel, 9191 Red Arrow Highway, Bridgman with Reverend Scott Reeve officiating. Visitation will be held Thursday from 5 - 7 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery, Bridgman. Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.

Frieda was born October 20, 1926 in Volhynia, Ukraine, the eldest daughter of the late Edmund and Pauline (Radtke) Hartwig. She fled Poland during wintertime at the end of WWII, driving the horse and wagon that held her mother and six siblings, the youngest of which was only 8 days old. With God’s help and Frieda’s bravery and determination, the family made it safely to Germany. She immigrated to the United States with her husband in 1952, and later proudly became a U.S. citizen. To her great disappointment, she was never able to have children, but was a mother to her siblings as well as her many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Survivors include her siblings: Sina (Arthur) Spitzke of Lapeer, MI, Hedwig Brunkel of Dowagiac, Erika (Werner) Riedel of St. Joseph, Gertrude Reed of Sacramento, CA, Herbert (Colleen) Hartwig of Bloomfield Hills, MI; her sister-in-law: Ingrid Hartwig of Stevensville; and many nieces and nephews.

Frieda was preceded in death by her brother Reinhold Hartwig.

Visitation

Thursday July 30, 2015 , 5 - 7 PM at Pike Funeral Home, Boyd Chapel

Funeral Service

Friday July 31, 2015 , 11 AM at Pike Funeral Home, Boyd Chapel

Burial

Friday July 31, 2015 at Graceland Cemetery